With each new decade comes new opportunities for the music scene in Britain. The Beatles officially broke up in 1971, and in doing so, opened the floor to the next generation of bands and artists. Long hair was in - Beatles bowls were out.
This all takes place underneath a bleak backdrop of Sir Edward Heath’s Britain. The economy was struggling, inflation was rising, power cuts were happening, and people weren’t smiling. But amidst this dark and dismal time of social and political tensions came a new era of glitter, flamboyancy and showmanship.
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| ID: Marc Bolan photographed in a hotel in Copenhagen, Denmark. Credit: Jorgen Angel. |
Glam rock comes after a period of ‘seriousness’ in the late 60s, where artists’ approaches to songwriting and performance had become exceedingly dull. Progressive rock was one of the more dominant genres, with concept albums and their introspective, intellectual lyrics becoming somewhat stale. Glam rock also came in during a period when conservative norms were increasingly oppressive. People wanted something new, something more exciting. Marc Bolan and his band, T. Rex, couldn’t have arrived at a more perfect time.
It is because of Bolan and the rest of T.Rex that glam rock was able to be brought into the mainstream, taking the very first plunge into the glitterpool, and opening the floodgates for Bowie, Queen, Slade, Roxy Music and many more. On the 25th February, 1971, T. Rex made their debut appearance on what was the most popular music television show in Britain at the time, Top of the Pops, with their hit single, ‘Hot Love.’
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| ID: Marc Bolan on Top of the Pops, 1971. Credit: BBC. |
What made this performance so pivotal wasn’t so much the song itself, but how it was performed. Bolan wore a shimmering silver suit of silk and satin (without a shirt, may I add); he had a wild mop of corkscrew hair; but, most notably, he was wearing make-up. Eyeliner framed his eyes, and glitter tears streamed down his face. This is considered the official beginning of the glam rock era, with other artists taking inspiration from Bolan’s androgynous approaches to dressing.
Bolan continued to wear clothing that defied gender stereotypes throughout the seventies. He made top hats cool again during The Slider era. He made it difficult to determine whether he bought his clothes in either the men’s or women’s sections. His outfits would often include feather boas, leopard print, and, of course, lots and lots of glitter!
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| ID: Marc Bolan photographed for The Slider album. Credit: Ringo Starr |
But as well as transcending all heteronormative notions of fashion, Bolan was also transcending sexuality. It was often speculated that Bolan was not one hundred per cent straight, and in an interview in 1975, Bolan confirmed that he was bisexual, admitting to having had relationships with both men and women throughout his life. Again, this was seen as a pivotal moment, as queerness was still, unfortunately, taboo in the public eye. But Marc Bolan didn’t care. He became one of the first rockstars to talk openly about sexuality that was not heteronormative.
Bolan’s music has also been just as influential as his aesthetics. He didn’t know it, but ‘Get It On,’ would go on to be sampled by Oasis in 1994 for their song ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol.’ ‘Mambo Sun’ would inspire Miles Kane’s ‘Electric Flower’ and The Black Keys’s ‘Everlasting Light.’
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| ID: Marc Bolan on Top of the Pops. Credit: BBC |
Although he kickstarted the glam rock movement, Bolan is often overshadowed by his other flamboyant contemporaries, including David Bowie, who has become perhaps the most memorable and recognisable figure from the era. However, the two rockstars shared a close friendship during this movement, having had the same manager in their teenage years. They even performed together on the final episode of Bolan's own television show, Marc, in 1977.
During an interview on The Russell Harty Show in 1972, Bolan was asked if he could see himself in twenty or thirty years time. He shook his head and replied, ‘I don’t think I’ll live that long,’ and, tragically, he was right. Five years later, he would die at the age of 29 in a car crash in Richmond, London.
It’s important that Marc Bolan’s legacy should be remembered, not only because of the strong influence he has had as an artist, but also as a queer figure. Bolan encouraged overstepping the boundaries of gender, challenging norms of masculinity and breaking all the rules of gender conformity. We should honour him by grabbing our own feather boas, donning our flared trousers, and, of course, brushing our cheeks with glitter tears.
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| ID: Marc Bolan wearing leopard print. Credit: Roger Bamber |